Vertical stratification of subsurface microbial community composition across geological formations at the Hanford Site
Microbial diversity in subsurface sediments at the Hanford Site 300 Area near Richland, Washington State (USA) was investigated by analyzing samples recovered from depths of 9 to 52 m. Approximately 8000 near full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were analyzed across geological strata that include a natural redox transition zone. These strata included the oxic coarse-grained Hanford formation, fine-grained oxic and anoxic Ringold Formation sediments, and the weathered basalt group. We detected 1233 and 120 unique bacterial and archaeal OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units at the 97% identity level), respectively. Microbial community structure and richness varied substantially across the different geological strata. Bacterial OTU richness (Chao1 estimator) was highest (>700) in the upper Hanford formation, and declined to about 120 at the bottom of the Hanford formation. Just above the Ringold oxic-anoxic interface, richness was about 325 and declined to less than 50 in the deeper reduced zones. The deeper Ringold strata were characterized by a preponderance (ca. 90%) of Proteobacteria. The Bacterial community in the oxic sediments contained not only members of 9 well-recognized phyla but also an unusually high proportion of 3 candidate divisions (GAL15, NC10, and SPAM). Additionally, novel phylogenetic orders were identified within the Delta-proteobacteria, a clade rich in microbes that carry out redox transformations of metals that are important contaminants on the Hanford Site.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1034978
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-84157; KP1702030; TRN: US201204%%270
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Microbiology, 14(2):414-425, Vol. 14, Issue 2; ISSN 1462-2912
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Distribution of microbial biomass and the potential for anaerobic respiration in Hanford Site 300 Area subsurface sediment
Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediments Below the T Tank Farm: Boreholes C4104, C4105, 299-W10-196 and RCRA Borehole 299-W11-39
Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BASALT
GENES
SEDIMENTS
STRATIFICATION
TRANSFORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
HANFORD ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY
archaea
bacteria
element cycles and biogeochemical processes
metals
microbial communities
microbial ecology
microbiology of unexplored habitats
uncultured microbes